


Fire (lilies) and Blood

by Songbirdorlioness



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Zutara month 2017, katara worries about the what if's a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 00:35:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12900204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Songbirdorlioness/pseuds/Songbirdorlioness
Summary: Katara can't smell fire lilies without smelling blood.





	Fire (lilies) and Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Ah sweet freedom of graduation. 
> 
> I have not written anything that wasn't for a grade in soooooo long I feel so rusty. I'm trying to get back in the swing via zutara month. 
> 
> I hope it's not too terrible. :)

It was only for a night, they would only be here for one night. One night and they would move on to the next village and then homeward. 

 

Though it had been years, the cloyingly sweet scent of fire liles came with the thick stench of blood and memories of that horrible night. 

 

The wind outside the window blew that sickening scent in from the fire lily fields that surrounded this place… the moon was even full like it had been… the jagged, unnatural angles of her brother and best friends body, an old woman’s wicked smile, tortured screams, the glint of moonlight and icy blades, the feel of another’s life blood underneath her hands and so much anger-

 

“Katara? Are you alright?” her husband’s voice brought her out of the nightmarish visions. His hand was warm against her back and she leant into his gentle touch. 

 

“I…” the walls seemed to move closer, her throat was closing up, breathing, why couldn’t she breathe. Her eyes were frantic when they met her husband’s “I can’t… I have to… I…” she scrambled out of bed and bolted out the door, oblivious to the confused and concerned guards. Zuko stumbled to the door, pulling a shirt and shoes on as he went. 

 

“Your Majesty, are we to follow…?” one of the guards questioned. 

 

“No stay here. I’ll go after her myself.” 

 

“But Your Majesty-”

 

“We’ll be fine, it’s a full moon tonight” with that the guards watched their Fire Lord race after his Lady with everything in him.

 

When Zuko caught up to Katara she was kneeling amongst a sea of fire lilies a dark spot in a vast field of blood red. 

 

The moonlight caught the tears shining on her cheeks. 

 

“Katara, what’s wrong?”

 

“This is that village, the one from the war… Hama… where I learnt to bloodbend”

 

“Oh love” Zuko’s footsteps were light, almost silent as he approached her, she gravitated towards him and his warmth and his steady and comforting embrace. Her fingers dug into the thin fabric of his shirt as she shook in his arms. “I’ve got you”

 

“What if I turnout like that, like her. Bitter and twisted and full of rage. I should have never kept… Am I a monster?”

 

“No love, you’re not like Hama. All the suffering you experienced, all the pain, it made you kind. You took something used for evil, for vengeance and used it for good. You save lives Katara. Master Waterbender, Bloodbender, Healer, War Hero and Fire Lady. You are not a monster”

 

“I can’t smell fire lilies without smelling blood. I… I scare myself sometimes Zuko. I could kill you right here without ever raising a weapon and it scares me. Hama stole the water from these lilies to teach me, she stole their life. What if I… what if I-”

 

Zuko took her trembling hands and placed them on his heart.

 

“Feel that? That beats because of you. When my heart stopped after the Agni Kai, you beat the blood through it for me. You have saved countless lives my love. You can take yes but you also give. These flowers grew back despite the damage done, the grew in the ashes of war and lived on, just like you.”

 

“I have blood on my hands Zuko”

 

“So do I love, it doesn’t change the fact that you are kind, and gentle, and compassionate and  _ good _ .”

 

Fireflies drifted through the night air around them as they sat huddled in amongst the fire lilies under the full moon.

 

“We ought to get back before the guards come looking for us love. We’re leaving early tomorrow and we never have to come back here”

 

Zuko lifted Katara from her place on the ground despite her protests that she did not need to be carried like a child thank you very much. 

 

“Indulge me love”

 

The guards at the door to their room said nothing as their Lord carried his Lady inside, her face tucked into his chest, mumbling under her breath. As the door shut, a smile passed between them.

 

Katara relished the feel of her husband’s chest against her back as they lay down. She turned to press her lips to his and smiled.

 

“Thank you.”

 

He brushed her hair behind her ear and pulled her close.

 

“Always, love.”


End file.
